Columbia Public Schools takes feedback on 10-year building needs

The importance of green space and whether to construct or renovate buildings were common topics Monday during a discussion to helps shape Columbia Public Schools' building plan for the next decade.

CPS solicited public feedback about its buildings at Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center. CPS superintendent Peter Stiepleman said the district spent $287 million over 10 years on projects and now is asking what it should prioritize during the next 10 years.

“This is really just the beginning,” he said. “In the last 10 years ... the community grew significantly.”

From 2000 to 2010, CPS’s student population grew 21.3 percent, Stiepleman said. He said the district anticipates adding 2,000 more students in the next 10 years.

About 100 people attended Monday’s event. The group included district employees, board of education members, students and other members of the public. Stiepleman posed three questions to the group and tables of three to six people discussed the questions, writing down recommendations as they went. Attendees switched tables after each question. CPS officials collected the written comments after the event.

Aubrey Sanders, a junior at Rock Bridge High School who participated Monday, said the small group discussions she was involved in focused on the condition of facilities, especially older school buildings. Sanders said the condition of the high school affects her learning. She said the school’s use of skylights and the ability to study on an outdoor patio help her relax and concentrate.

“You can see the sky ...” she said. “Being able to wander and have that sense of I am not locked in here helps me focus.”

She added that the school’s flexible schedule, which includes periods of the day not spent in class, helps students better prepare for college and improve their time management skills. DJ Norfleet, a senior at Rock Bridge, said that the district should focus on making all schools have the same feeling or environment for students.

“When I walk into Rock Bridge, it’s a culture of learning,” he said.

He described the school’s environment as similar to a small college campus. Having access to outdoor spaces, he said, contributes to that campus feel.

The Long-range Facilities Planning Committee in its last 10-year plan focused on eliminating trailers, improving the physical space and environment for learning, increasing the functionality and efficiency of buildings, AEO, or achievement, enrichment and opportunity, and innovation. Stiepleman said the committee is still discussing its goals for the next decade.

The previous plan’s emphasis on eliminating trailers continues with two projects: an addition at Lee Expressive Arts Elementary and the opening of a new middle school in south Columbia.

Through new school buildings and additions to some current buildings, CPS has cut the number of trailers from 173 to 65. The new middle school and Lee addition will bring the total below 50, Stiepleman said. At schools that are over capacity, some classes learn in trailers or mobile classrooms placed on the school's property.

Tory Kassabaum, who teaches at a private school in Columbia, said she attended Monday’s event as a taxpayer who is passionate about education. During small group discussions, she advocated for more green space and unstructured learning outside during class time. She heard several people also say they’d like to see more green space at the district’s schools and recognize that as important for students.

Kassabaum said people she spoke with also wanted to keep a variety of arts and humanities classes available for students. A common question was whether to build new or renovate, she said.

CPS has 21 elementary schools, six middle schools and four high schools covering 300 square miles. Stiepleman said about 90 percent of the students in Columbia attend public schools.

CPS staff will type up the written feedback received Monday and the board of education will discuss it at a future work session. The planning committee also will use the remarks collected Monday as a guide.

mfavignano@columbiatribune.com

573-815-1719

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